Pidge Holt

Long before the war with the Galra consumed the universe, there was a hidden truth—one buried deeper than Altean history itself. A truth about you. You are the last surviving Aeliryn—a long-forgotten race known for their impossible beauty, intelligence, and power. Your people weren’t just admired… they were feared. The Aeliryn were ancient allies of the Galra, bound by an agreement that would one day unite your kind. But that future never came. Your home planet—Aelyria—was destroyed under mysterious circumstances. No survivors… except you.

Your parents, the king and queen of Aelyria, made a desperate choice: They sent you away in secret… entrusting your life to fate. Instead of reaching the Galra as planned, you ended up on Altea. King Alfor and Queen Melenor found you—an ethereal child, asleep, glowing faintly with unfamiliar energy. They kept you hidden. Raised you. Loved you. You grew up alongside Princess Allura—not just as a friend…but as her sibling.

When the war began, Alfor and Melenor made one final decision. They sent both you and Allura away. Allura in her pod… You… in the White Lion. You were placed into a deep sleep. Separated. Lost. Forgotten.

The room is quiet. Too quiet. Allura stands before the paladins, her hands trembling slightly as she grips the edge of the table. “I’ve kept something from you all…” Her voice is softer than usual. Heavier. Shiro leans forward. “Allura… what is it?” She hesitates. Then finally— “There was another child on Altea.” Silence. Lance blinks. “Another Altean?” Allura shakes her head slowly. “No… not Altean.” Her eyes flicker with something deeper. Sadness. Guilt. “She was Aeliryn.” Pidge freezes. Something about that word hits differently. “…Aeliryn?” Pidge repeats, almost to herself. Allura nods. “She was… the most beautiful being I’ve ever seen. Not just in appearance—her mind, her strength… everything about her was extraordinary.” Hunk lets out a quiet “woah…” Keith crosses his arms. “If she was that important… where is she now?” Allura’s expression falls. “I don’t know.”

Coran suddenly gasps. “The White Lion…” Everyone turns. “The White Lion was never accounted for after the fall of Altea,” he continues, voice shaking. “We assumed it was destroyed.” Allura closes her eyes. “…It wasn’t.” She looks up. “That’s what she was sent away in.” The room goes still. Shiro: “So you’re saying…” Allura nods. “She’s still out there.”

Later that night… Pidge sits alone at her console, screens glowing in the dark. “Aeliryn…” she mutters, pulling up ancient, fragmented data. Everything about you is incomplete. Corrupted. Like someone tried to erase your existence. But one thing keeps repeating in the files: “Aeliryn Princess – unmatched cognitive capability.” “Genetic anomaly – extreme adaptability.” “Warning: emotional bonds amplify power output.”

Pidge’s eyes narrow. “Super smart… hidden… erased from records…” A small smirk forms. “…Yeah. I’m finding you.”

Somewhere Far Away… Darkness. Silence. Then— Light flickers across your face. You’re floating. Encased in soft white energy. The interior of the White Lion hums faintly around you. Your eyes flutter. For the first time in thousands of years— You wake up.

Days pass. Nothing. No trace. No coordinates. No White Lion. Until— “WAIT—” Pidge’s voice cuts through the Castle like a shockwave. Everyone rushes in. She’s standing, hands braced against her console, eyes wide behind her glasses. “I found something.” Shiro steps closer. “What kind of something?” Pidge pulls up a distorted signal—flickering, unstable. “It’s not Altean… not Galra…” she says, voice tightening. “…it’s Aeliryn.” Allura inhales sharply. “That’s not possible…” Pidge zooms in, isolating the frequency. “It’s weak—like it’s been dormant for a long time. But it just activated.” Keith: “Location?” Pidge hesitates for half a second. “…Uncharted sector. No star maps. No known systems.” Lance groans. “Of course it’s in the middle of nowhere.” Pidge doesn’t even look at him. “…It’s her.”

The Lions land on a silent, forgotten planet. No life. No movement. Just endless white terrain stretching beneath a dim sky. Hunk shivers. “Yeah… I don’t like this place.” Allura steps forward slowly. “…I can feel something.” Pidge is already scanning. “The signal’s coming from underground.” Keith summons his blade. “Then we dig.”

The Lions land on a silent, forgotten planet. No life. No movement. Just endless white terrain stretching beneath a dim sky. Hunk shivers. “Yeah… I don’t like this place.” Allura steps forward slowly. “…I can feel something.” Pidge is already scanning. “The signal’s coming from underground.” Keith summons his blade. “Then we dig.”

They don’t have to. The ground shifts. A low, ancient hum vibrates through the planet. Cracks of light split the surface— And something massive begins to rise. Lance stumbles back. “OH—OKAY—THAT’S DEFINITELY A LION—” The White Lion emerges in full, radiant and untouched by time. It’s… different. Sleeker. Brighter. Alive in a way the others aren’t. Pidge stares, breath caught. “…Whoa.” The Lion’s eyes glow— And lock onto them. No. Not them. Her. Pidge.

Inside the Lion— You gasp. Air floods your lungs like fire. Your body trembles as the sleep finally releases you. Everything feels… wrong. Too quiet. Too empty. “…Allura…?” your voice barely forms. No answer. Instead— The Lion moves. Responding to something outside. To someone.

The Lion lowers itself. A soft hiss— And the cockpit opens. Light spills out. Everyone shields their eyes. Then— You step forward. Barefoot. Unsteady. Glowing faintly. And impossibly— beautiful. Not in a normal way. In a way that makes the air feel heavier. Like reality itself pauses to look at you. Lance forgets how to speak. Hunk just goes, “oh my gosh…” Keith narrows his eyes, stunned but guarded. Allura— “…No way…” Her voice breaks. Your eyes meet hers. Recognition flickers. “…Allura?” She runs. “No—no—this isn’t—this can’t—” She reaches you and stops just inches away, afraid to touch you like you might disappear. “…You’re real.” You tilt your head slightly. “…Of course I’m real.” Your voice is soft. Curious. Innocent. Like no time has passed at all.

While everyone else is overwhelmed— Pidge is staring at you like she just discovered something impossible. Her heart is racing. Her brain is screaming with questions. But none of that is what hits her hardest. It’s you. The way you look around, confused but calm. The way your eyes seem to take in everything at once. The way you don’t seem scared. “…You were asleep this whole time,” Pidge says quietly. You turn toward her. And for a second— Everything else fades. Your gaze sharpens. Like you’re reading her. Understanding her. “…You found me?” you ask. Pidge blinks. “…Yeah.” A pause. Then you smile. Small. Soft. But it hits her like a system overload. “Thank you.”

The White Lion lets out a low, resonant sound. Almost like… approval. Coran stumbles back. “The Lion has chosen!” Keith: “Chosen her?” But Pidge doesn’t move. Doesn’t look away. Because something just clicked. Not the Lion. Not the mission. Something else. Something quieter. Stronger. You take a small step closer to her. “…What’s your name?” “…Pidge.” You repeat it softly. “…Pidge.” And for some reason— The way you say it makes her face heat up.